August 2012

08/31/2012

Just pumped out close to 3,000 words of Ticat-related copy, including a Labour Day preview story, a game day package and a feature on Earl Winfield. Don't worry, it will all end up on the blog eventually.

I also went to practice and have been following the NFL cuts for Ticat and/or CFL-related moves - teams must get down to the 53-man roster limit by 9 p.m. With that in mind...

• starting linebacker Jamall Johnson was back at practice today after missing a few days to be with his wife and new baby daughter. He was wearing a pretty big grin when I talked to him today. "I've got something else to play for."

• Chevon Walker took most of the first team reps at running back today and I think he'll be back on the roster for Labour Day. This will inevitably lead to questions as whether Avon will also dress. I think that's unlikely for all the reasons I've mentioned before (all together now: "BECAUSE AVON DOESN'T PLAY SPECIAL TEAMS.")

• I think there will be a couple of other line up changes for the Ticats but I'll need to watch tomorrow to know for sure.

• the biggest Ticat-related name in the NFL cuts thus far (that I know of: remember neg lists are secret) is offensive lineman Moe Petrus, who was released by Tampa Bay. Petrus was the Ticats 10th overall pick in 2010 and they retain his rights. Too early to say whether he'll land with another NFL club or on a practice roster.

• so far, no news on Marcus Thigpen, Justin Hickman, Garrett McIntyre or Justin Medlock (though this story from ProFootbalTalk on Medlock is somewhat concerning.) My sense is that all four guys are going to stick with their clubs.

Ticats DE Bruce Davis signs an autograph for a young fan in Waterloo on Tuesday. Photo by Drew Edwards

Bruce Davis's first CFL game did not
end well.

The Hamilton Ticats defensive end had
an effective first quarter in the Aug. 16 game against Winnipeg,
recording three tackles and getting consistent pressure on the
quarterback. But a rib injury forced him to leave the game and
Hamilton ultimately lost, 32-25.

A good half-hour after the game ended,
Davis sat in the visitors' locker-room in CanadInns Stadium - still
in full uniform - with the emotion on the evening displayed plainly
on his face. It wasn't his ribs that were hurting. "I learned
from my Dad early on that there's going to be hurt every week, you
just have to work through that. I remember the first game I lost in
basketball as a kid. I cried, not because I was being a baby but
because I was pissed off. When you lose a game at this level, it's
hard to swallow."

"Dad" would be Bruce Davis I,
who played 11 years in the NFL as an offensive lineman with the
Oakland Raiders and the Houston Oilers and won two Super Bowls. As
one would expect, the father has had an enormous impact on the son,
the two of them turning even the most mundane activities into
training opportunities.

"Watching TV, we'd put talcum
powder on our hands and try and hit each other while trying to block
the other guy, " Davis said. "Whoever had the most white
stuff on his shirt at the end of the show was the loser."

After a strong high school career in
Houston, Davis was a standout at UCLA, collecting 120 tackles and
finishing with the second-most sacks (29) in school history. In 2006,
he formed a lethal pass rushing duo with former Ticat Justin Hickman:
Davis had 12.5 sacks, Hickman 12 and both were fist-team
all-Americans.

The two also formed a close friendship
and so, when Davis found himself out of football after stints with
five NFL teams, it was Hickman who encouraged his friend to consider
the CFL - and the team to consider Davis.

GM Bob O'Billovich says that players
often recommend friends and former teammates - most are just trying
to help their buddies - but that Hickman's suggestion was taken more
seriously.

"Justin was a solid guy for us and
a good character person and he knows what it takes to be successful
in this league, " O'Billovich said. "So we listened to what
he had to say."

Davis is still in touch with Hickman,
who is trying to crack the roster of the Indianapolis Colts after
tying for the CFL lead in sacks in his last season with the Ticats.
Meanwhile, Davis is trying to make the most of his opportunities
north of the border.

"I don't care what city, what
state, what country, what province, I just want to play ball, "
Davis said. "Justin spoke highly of this organization and it's a
great opportunity."

08/30/2012

Scott Mitchell has accomplished quite a bit in his five-plus years as president of Ticats but this might be his toughest challenge yet: get Black and Gold fans to be nice to their Argo counterparts on Labour Day.

Mitchell and the Ticats are going out of their way to make visitors from Toronto feel welcome at Ivor Wynne for Monday's final edition of the Labour Day Classic at the old stadium. The team is hosting a pre-game barbecue at Brian Timmis Field for a pair Argo fan groups, Friends of the Argonauts and the Argonotes, and Mitchell is encouraging supporters of the home team to be friendly and courteous.

“For different reasons, it hasn't always been enjoyable for Argo fans and we want it to be,” Mitchell said. “We want our fans to enjoy the experience with the Argo fans because that's been a part of the rivalry.”

There will be added security at the stadium for the game and potential problem areas – like behind the Argo bench – will be closely monitored, Mitchell said.

“I know that Toronto fans love coming to Ivor Wynne Stadium and we're trying to make it a fun, family atmosphere for Labour Day,” he said.

Halftime entertainment will come via Syracuse University’s Pride of the Orange Marching Band, one of the oldest collegiate bands in the United States and the Tiger-Cats will also honour Earl Winfield, who played 11 seasons in the Black and Gold and set team records for receiving yards (10,119) and receiving touchdowns (75) while also setting a new team mark for career punt return touchdowns (11).

The music video for Arkells new single Ticats are Hummin will also make its debut at halftime. The official anthem of the Ticats was released by the Hamilton band last week.

The game is expected to be a sellout and but there were still about 1,000 tickets available as of Thursday afternoon.

Yawn. Ticats Chris Williams has been named the CFL's special teams player of the month. Again.

In three games in August, Williams returned 15 punts for 246 yards - an average of 16.4 yards per punt - and two touchdowns. Williams has already established a new Tiger-Cats record and tied the CFL record (held by Henry 'Gizmo' Williams, Bashir Levingston and Keith Stokes) with five kick return touchdowns in a season.

So far in 2012, Williams has earned three CFL player of the week awards and two player of the month awards.

“I think they named the trophy after him,” said head coach George Cortez.

Williams also leads the CFL with 10 total touchdowns in eight games, a pace that would give him 23 for the season and the tie the record held by Milt Stegall of Winnipeg since 2002. Williams is only the fourth CFL player to record a punt return TD in back-to-back games since 1995 – and he has done it twice this season.

Henry Burris isn't interested in losing to his old team.

The Ticats quarterback is the team spokesman the Purolator Tackle Hunger food drive that will take place on Labour Day an issued a challenge to Ticat fans to surpass the record-setting 131,500 pounds of food donated by Calgary fans on July 28.

“We had a great run out there but Hamiltonians are second to none and are passionate about everything that takes place, especially community,” Burris said. “We can beat 130 here and that's what I'm urging fans to do.”

Since 2003, Ticat fans have helped raise 268,850 pounds of food through the Purolator Tackle Hunger program, including 86,500 pounds 2011. All proceeds from the food drive go to Hamilton Food Share.

For Burris, a father of two boys, the fact that almost half of the 18,400 people who access a food bank every month in the city are children is a big concern.

“When kids don’t have the proper nourishment, they can’t live out their dreams,” he said. “This is an opportunity for the people of this city to make their voices heard.”

Fans are encouraged to bring food items to the game, including canned fish, beans, meat, pasta, rice, spaghetti sauce, canned vegetables and fruit, cereal and peanut butter. Those that contribute will have their names entered in a draw for a signed Burris jersey.

“It’s a small token to say thank you for what the fans are doing,” he said.

• linebacker Jamall Johnson is still absent after his wife gave birth to their first child Monday in Vancouver. Canadian Kevin Eiben getting reps in his spot but I'd expect JJ to be back shortly and to play on Monday.

• Chevon Walker is getting first team reps at running back.

• new DB Nick Graham is getting some reps at short side corner but it's too early to tell whether he'll be in the line up on Labour Day.

08/29/2012

An off day for the Ticats and I spent it getting ahead on the rest of the week. The only bit of Ticat news today...

For the third time this season and the
second consecutive week, Ticat Chris Williams has been named the
CFL's special teams player of the week. In last week's loss to
Montreal, Williams returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown, setting
a new Ticats single-season record and tying the CFL mark with his
fifth return touchdown of the season. Through nine weeks, Williams
leads the league with 10 total touchdowns, 527 punt return yards and
233 missed field goal return yards. He has also caught 41 passes for
652 yards and five touchdowns.

I received a question from a reader about how many players had won player of the week honours while facing the Ticats. The answer: seven. Ticats have won weekly award six times (Williams three times, Burris twice, Fantuz once.)

The CFL also launched their Grey Cup train today... I didn't go but Bob Mitchell from the Star was there and I've managed to boost his story for your reading pleasure (OK, fine it was a simple cut and paste job but still...)

And I had a long chat with Argos play-by-play guy Mike Hogan of TSN 1050 this afternoon, mostly about Labour Day. Talking football with Hoagie is great because he's a) knowledgable and b) a good dude. Here's that chat, in all it's digital glory.

It’s been hoisted by champions,
forgotten, broken and stolen but the Grey Cup is about to embark on
its most significant journey.

On Sept. 7, the trophy will begin a
4,100 kilometre trek across Canada in a specially retrofitted train
making stops at more than 100 communities as part of the CFL’s
100th Grey Cup celebrations.

The Grey Cup 100 Train Tour, as it’s
been dubbed, will stop in all eight CFL cities as well as some cities
with possibly future franchises. Ottawa is scheduled to rejoin the
league in 2014. The train will also visit Moncton, Halifax and Quebec
City, cities that one day might also have teams.

“Every year, Canadians make a
pilgrimage to the Grey Cup city and now we have the chance for the
Grey Cup to make its pilgrimage across the country,” CFL
commissioner Mark Cohen said Wednesday before the media got a sneak
peak at the inside of the train.

“We’ve seen what the torch relay
did for the Olympics and how it brought the country together . . .
This country was built on the railway so it’s a great way to marry
the Grey Cup and a train.”

The trophy, emblematic of CFL
supremacy, will also visit Newfoundland and Nunavut. The Grey Cup
will be transported by road when towns aren’t directly accessible
by train — and by ferry for Newfoundland.

“At every major city along the way
the train will be there for a few days and there will be a festival
around the stop,” Cohen said. “At some of the smaller
communities, the train will be there for a few hours. And we’re
also going to be taking the Cup to hospitals and schools in some of
the communities where we have to take the Cup away from the train.”

Inside the train is a special museum
car with displays, including inter-active showcases capturing the
storied history and some of the greatest Grey Cup moments. There is
also a car decked out like the inside of a team dressing room with
stalls belonging to three players from each team, including Argos
quarterback Ricky Ray, slotback Chad Owens and defensive end Ricky
Foley.

Some of the more memorable Grey Cup
games are also highlighted, including the 2005 game when Ray led his
Edmonton Eskimos to a thrilling 38-35 double overtime win over the
Montreal Alouettes at B.C. Place in Vancouver.

The trophy itself has its own car and
people will be able to have their picture taken beside it.

Among the historic displays is one
featuring legendary Maple Leafs hockey broadcaster Foster Hewitt, who
called the very first nationally broadcasted radio play-by-play of
the 1930 Grey Cup from Toronto’s Varsity Stadium. Toronto’s Balmy
Beach defeated the Regina Roughriders in the 18th Grey Cup.

Different crews will be travel with the
train during its 90-day journey, which ends Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. at the
Exhibition GO Train station.

08/28/2012

Was in Waterloo today for the Ticats practice and I've got a story on the day's events. But first, some news, notes and goofy photos.

• head coach George Cortez dismissed the idea of making changes to his coaching staff in his media scrum the day after the loss to Montreal and several sources I spoke to over the last couple of days confirmed this: defensive coordinator Casey Creehan's job is not in jeopardy.

• it was interesting to read the comments from B.C. general manager Wally Buono on the Bomber's decision to fire Paul LaPolice.

"I just don't believe firing a coach in the middle of a season is a
positive thing or is going to be able to give you long-term results,"
Buono said. "When you look at it over history, I don't think that it's
ever – maybe once – ever proven to be fruitful."

• running back Chevon Walker and centre Marwan Hage both practiced on
Tuesday after missing last Thursday's loss to Montreal due to injury.
Head coach George Cortez said a final decision on their status for the
Labour Day game won't be made until later in the week.

• Canadian defensive back Ryan Hinds sat out Tuesday while receiver
Bakari Grant did some light drills as he makes his way back from a hand
injury. Linebacker Markeith Knowlton and defensive back Bo Smith are
still out, however.

• Linebacker Jamall Johnson missed practice after
his wife gave birth to their first child, a daughter, on Monday.

• Hamilton has signed former Saskatchewan defensive back Nick Graham, who
has 67 tackles and two interceptions in 23 games over three seasons with
the Riders. With Marcell Young on the nine game, Bo Smith still out, I think the Ticats are still interested in upgrading their secondary.

• Ticats say there are just 1,500 tickets remaining for
next Monday's final Labour Day Classic at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

• the Ticats put on the full family-friendly spread at Waterloo today - jumpy castles, inflatable games, autograph session – but there was a new edition: life-size photo cutouts. I was walking off the field with Marwan Hage and Darcy Brown, and they couldn't resist.

Here's the story...

It was a important gesture at a dark time and Bob Copeland was happy for the chance to return the favour.

In the fall of 2010, the Waterloo Warriors football team was in the midst serving a self-imposed one year suspension after nine players tested positive for steroids in the worst doping scandal in Canadian university sports history. More than 20 players fled the program and Copeland, Waterloo's director of athletics, was doing everything he could to give those that remained hope that things would get better.

Copeland got a call from Ticats president Scott Mitchell, inviting Copeland to bring his players to Ticats game. They spent some time on the sideline before the game, chatted with some players and watched from the Ivor Wynne stands.

“Scott Mitchell and his staff were incredibly supportive and it meant a lot to our student athletes,” Copeland said. “It was one of the things we did that helped rebuild the program.”

On Tuesday, Copeland repaid the Mitchell by hosting one of the most successful out-of-town Ticat events in recent memory: more than 1,000 people packed the grandstand at Warrior Field to watch the team practice and take part in a slew of family-friendly activities, including an autograph session.

“We're a regional team so to get this kind of turnout for the first-ever practice in Kitchener-Waterloo is awesome,” Mitchell said. “It's sensational to see so many kids out here. It's been a great day.”

It wasn't just folks from Waterloo in attendance, however. Hamilton native Eric Parker made the drive, despite getting off his night shift at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning. Parker's father Jim has a birthday coming up and his son wanted to get a custom Ticat jersey signed for his old man, a long-time season ticket holder.

“Being here at field level with the players I've watched for years is unreal and talking with Bob O'Billovich about football is something I never thought I'd be able to do,” the 25-year-old Parker said. “I think my Dad will love the jersey.”

The event was also a homecoming for Waterloo native Luca Congi, who played soccer and football for St. David Catholic Secondary School about a five minute drive from Tuesday's practice site.

“My family was here, my niece and nephew were watching – it was a good time,” Congi said. “I haven't played football here since high school so to be able to come back was a lot of fun.”

A number of players on the 2012 edition of the Waterloo team also watched the pros go through their on-field session. The Warriors were 0-8 last year but are now under the guidance of former CFL coach Joe Paopao.

“There's been real resurgence in the mood of the locker room and the attitude of the players since Joe's come on board,” Copeland said. “We're still a very young team and it will take some time but we have the right attitude and the right approach.”

08/27/2012

• according to this website, former head coach Marcel Bellefeuille has taken a job as the receivers coach with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL. I'm still trying to get it confirmed. The head coach of the Nighthawks: former Argos coach Bart Andrus.

• according to to ProFootballTalk,the Carolna Panthers have cut veteran kicker Olindo Mare. That's (probably) good news for ex-Ticats kicker Justin Medlock. From the story:

The decision to cut Mare leaves Justin Medlock
as the only kicker on the Panthers’ roster. It’s not known yet whether
the Panthers have settled on Medlock as their kicker for Week One, or
whether they’ll consider bringing in another kicker. But their kicker
won’t be Mare.

• former defensive end Stevie Baggs was placed on injured reserve by the Baltimore Ravens, meaning he won't play this season in either the CFL or the NFL. But I believe he gets his NFL salary.

08/25/2012

As part of my preview story for the Ticats game with the Bombers less than two weeks ago, I reported that there was speculation that LaPolice's job could be in jeopardy. But then the Bombers beat the Ticats before losing last night on a last-second field goal to the B.C. Lions - the defending Grey Cup champs and a team universally considered to be one of the league's best. In other words, I'm surprised that LaPolice was let go now and that seems to be the general reaction.

The man that will replace LaPolice is defensive coordinator Tim Burke, who was a finalist for the Ticats heading coaching job last winter. In fact, I've spoken to a number of sources who believe that Burke would have gotten the position had George Cortez decided to stay in the NFL - as he was expected to do.

08/24/2012

So why didn't Hamilton Tiger-Cats' head coach George Cortez throw the
challenge flag in the fourth quarter of Thursday's game on a play the likely changed the outcome of the contest?

There's an answer. Just not sure it's going to make you Cats fans feel any better.

First, to recap. With just over five minutes left in the game and Hamilton clinging to a one-point lead, Montreal was credited with a 40-yard pass on a ball that was clearly incomplete on replay. Instead of
being at midfield facing second and 10, the Alouettes were in scoring position at Hamilton's 15. Eventually they kicked a crucial field goal.

Speaking right after the game, Cortez said it never dawned on him to throw the flag because from where he stood on the sideline a long way from the play, it looked like a good pass. When none of his players reacted in a way that suggested something was amiss, he didn't challenge it.

Fair enough. He has to take some of his cues from them and they apparently didn't see it either.

But why didn't any of his spotters in the booth alert him to the problem?

Well, actually, they did. Or tried to.

The coach says the Cats have three guys in the booth watching this kind of stuff with one in charge. They saw the replay on TV and wanted to challenge it but Cortez's headset was tuned to the defensive feed - he can listen to either the offensive or defensive chatter - and somehow the word didn't get to him to throw the flag.

Since they were on defence, why wouldn't a spotter be able to reach him on the defensive channel? And even if there's a communications breakdown, shouldn't the head coach be able to be reached by someone who can relay that kind of information since they can all see the replay? As in, shouldn't all the spotters be yelling challenge, challenge, challenge into a microphone so no matter what he's listening to, he'll hear someone?

Frankly, this doesn't exactly inspire great confidence in the spotter system. Either technical or logistical.

Something broke down here. If Cortez wasn't fed the information he needed, you can't blame him for this snafu. But if that's the case someone upstairs needs to learn how to work the equipment before they're entrusted with this task again.

The follow-up, of course, is if it happened this time - which is the second time this season a challenge flag should've been thrown and wasn't, the first being against Saskatchewan in the opener - surely it could happen again, right?

"I don't think it'll be a concern in the future," Cortez says.

His optimism is nice, but since he says he doesn't know why things went awry this time, it's hard to see where this confidence comes from.

Asked to further lay out how it could've gone wrong, he cut off the question.

"I'd have to spend an hour explaining to you all how it goes on and I'm
not going to," he says.

Let's be clear, this wasn't the only reason the Cats lost the game and fell two games below .500. Allowing over 400 yards in offence in consecutive games was a huge factor, too.

But it didn't help. And now that key challenge calls have been missed twice by this coaching staff in less than half a season, a third simply can't happen.

Because there are only so many explanations available. And it seems the Ticats are the only team finding the need to use them.